Anže Kopitar is a renowned sportsman in the world of ice hockey. The professional athlete is the first Slovenian to play in the National Hockey League since 2006. He is also the Los Angeles Kings captain and is known as one of the best defensive forwards in the NHL.
The Slovene is known for his strong offense and defense play and has been awarded the Frank J. Selke Trophy twice and the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 2016. Let us know more about Anže Kopitar's biography and net worth.
Ryan O'Reilly Biography - Ice Hockey Centre
Early Life and Family
Anže Kopitar's parents are Matjaž Kopitar and Mateja Kopitar. The sportsman was born on August 24, 1987, in Jesenice, Slovenia. He was raised alongside his younger brother Gašper Kopitar. Their grandfather built them an ice rink in their backyard, while their father, who was also an ice hockey coach, taught them how to skate.
.jpg "Anže Kopitar with his father Matjaž Kopitar.")
Anže Kopitar learned to skate and play ice hockey under his father's guidance and training. Image Source: Anže's Instagram.
Anže's brother Gašper also plays professional ice hockey with Mora IK in Sweden. The two brothers were taught English by their grandmother, who was a teacher at a local high school. Soon after, the ice hockey pro was able to speak five languages, including Serbian, German, Swedish, English, and Slovene. The brothers also love to play soccer and are die-hard fans of Slovenian soccer club NK Maribor.
Career
The Slovenian developed his talent and gameplay toward the sport drastically and represented his country in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament held in 2000 and 2001. Anže started to play for the youth team HK Acroni Jesenice of his hometown and was later selected for the senior squad HK Kranjska Gora of the Slovenian Ice Hockey League. He was the highest scorer in the Slovenian Ice Hockey League at the age of 16 and was recruited for the Elitserien by Lars Söder in 2004.
He started his professional career after being the 11th pick in the 2005 draft for the Los Angeles Kings. He returned to Sweden to play for a season but returned in 2006 after accepting the invitation from the Los Angeles rookie camp.
The talented player made his debut against the Anaheim Ducks, scoring two goals on October 6, 2006. In 2007, Anže was selected for the NHL Young-Stars Game, where he recorded three assists and two goals. He ended his first NHL season with 20 goals with 41 assists and was also awarded the Mark Bavis Memorial Award. He was named the King's most popular player. In the 2007-08 season, Kopitar was known as the most valuable player on Kings and was awarded the Bill Libby Memorial Award.
The ice hockey player went on to sign a seven-year contract extension worth $47.6 million on October 11, 2008, with the Los Angeles Kings. The Slovenian became one of the most crucial players on the team and led the team's score for nine consecutive seasons. On October 22, 2009 season, Kopitar scored his first NHL career hat-trick against the Dallas Stars. He went on to lead the Kings to its first post-season since 2002 after making his debut in the Stanley Cup Playoff.
However, they lost to Vancouver Canucks in the quarterfinals of the Western Conference. In the 2011-12 season, Kopitar led the Kings to its first Stanley Cup title as playoff champions. He also became the first Slovenian-born player to win the Stanley Cup. Due to his achievements, Anže was named the 2012 Slovenian male Athlete of the Year.
The 2013-14 season saw the hockey player lead the NHL to score with 70 points, which helped the Kings win its second Stanley Cup Championship. In 2015, Kopitar signed an eight-year contract with the Kings for an average salary of $10 million per season. He was named the Los Angeles captain on June 16, 2016. He recorded his career-high score of 35 goals and 51 assists to help the Kings reach the playoffs. The end of the season saw him win the Frank J. Selke Trophy for the second time in his career.
Anže Kopitar also represents his country Slovenia in various tournaments. He first played in the Division one tournament of the 2003 IIHF World U18 Championships for the national junior team. He also contributed to the U18 Championship, World Juniors, and the senior World Championship. In the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia, the Kings captain helped Slovenia reach the tournament's quarterfinals. He was also selected to play in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey for Team Europe Ice Hockey Team. The professional athlete has been very focused on his career, his ability to lead his team to win matches and title has won him many awards. Aside from his fame and gameplay, Anže has also developed a significant amount of wealth.
Anze Kopitar Net Worth And Earnings
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Anže Kopitar's net worth is estimated at $18 million. He signed an eight-year deal worth $80 million with a signing bonus of $18 million which also pays him an average salary of $10 million. His previous contract worth $47.6 million paid the sportsman an annual salary of $6.8 million without bonuses. Though his contract expires in 2024, it is clear that the player will surely increase his fortune in the near future. He is currently one of the wealthiest players in the NHL.
Though not much information is shared about Anže Kopitar's endorsements, we know Adidas is the Los Angeles Kings jersey manufacturer. Kopitar's Jersey in the team's kit store ranges from $30-$269, including his photo frames. He currently resides in their luxurious $2.949 million home in Manhattan Beach, California, with his wife and two kids.
Married Life and Children
Anže Kopitar is married to Ines Kopitar. The lovely couple met in Dominic, Slovenia, in 2005 and have been inseparable ever since. They held a luxurious wedding in the presence of all their families and friends in July 2013. Anže Kopitar's wife Ines takes care of the family and is a homemaker.
Anže Kopitar loves to spend time and post pictures of his family on his social accounts. Image Source: Gustl Kopitar's Instagram.
They have a daughter named Neža and a son, Jakob Kopitar. The athlete loves his family and always makes time apart from his busy schedule to spend time with them. Anže Kopitar's daughter, Neža Kopitar, was born on March 14, 2015, while his son Jakob entered the world on December 5, 2016. Despite their struggles, the couples handle each other very strongly while making their bond unbreakable even after all these years.
Trivia
- He is 6.2 feet tall.
- The professional athlete has 37.6k followers on his Instagram account.
- He has a pet dog named Gustl Kopitar, who also has his own Instagram.
- He wears jersey No. 11.
